Tying the knot, skydiver style

Jumpers Elizabeth Simmons Young and Christian Young tied the knot at West Tennessee Skydiving last May, following a lovely wedding jump.

Most couples use the traditional rings to symbolize their unity, but these two went a bit of a different route adding to that a very special Cookie G3 helmet. They both jump G3’s, and had a 3rd helmet commissioned with a custom paint job from Compass and Crow Studios (artist Marissa Barclay).

What we are doing is kind of unique. We both jump g3’s, so we will have his helmet, my helmet, and a helmet in the center with both mine and his helmet and jumpsuit colors blended together. A statement of unity in a different way.My dad, Charlie Simmons, is a minister so he officiated the ceremony on the ground – we couldn’t talk him into getting on the plane. Michael Mullins [grandson of DZO Mike Mullins] was our ring bearer. Another skydiving friend, Chris Whitworth’s granddaughter Kayleigh was the flower girl. The bridesmaid was my daughter, Caitlyn Kelly – she walked Christian down the aisle. My son Josh Kelly was the groomsman and walked me down the aisle. We had two ushers as well, both skydivers (Ricky DeMann and Josh Park).

Very fitting for a skydiver lifestyle – thanks for sharing your story Elizabeth!

Below you can see a few photos and the video from the wedding jump. We noticed that Elizabeth was just wearing her regular helmet on – turns out she had been preoccupied with urgent home repair in her. With the madness of trying to get ready for the wedding jump along with plugging a leak in their DZ trailer, she forgot to grab it. Once on the plane she realized – but by then it was too late to go back. Kyle Doster, Ricky DeMann, Alan and Trixie Stevenson, Carl Finch, Irene Fuller, Joel Mullins, Paul Gholson, and Charles Cobb joined Elizabeth and Christian on the wedding jump.
Video and pictures- Howard Stetson, Alex Gubanov, Jeremy Bartholemew – jump organized by John Wesley Mullikin.